pride Archives - Daily Thoughts about God

It takes a Savior who sacrificed Himself for our transgressions to show us how to act.

“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?” Micah 6:6

God demands a sacrifice in order to forgive us. It’s not because He is some power-hungry being that wants to see humans suffer — just the opposite. By sacrificing something, God’s people looked beyond their own selfishness and learned compassion. If they could give to God, perhaps they’d learn to give to each other as well.

But as the people turned from Him, God made it clear that sacrificing material things out of traditional duty was not His original intent. They weren’t supposed to sacrifice their crops and animals to gain a ‘get out of jail free card’ for living sinful lives. So, through the prophets God tried to make it clear that He didn’t want their things. He wanted their hearts softened so they could once again learn to think of Him and of others before themselves. Micah tells the people, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (6:8).

Sometimes donating money out of our paycheck is an easier sacrifice. We can throw money at the project and let someone else do it. But to give up our self-centered, pride-filled, and judgmental human nature to serve God and others is a sacrifice. It is a lifestyle do-over. It takes commitment. It also takes a merciful God who can forgive us when we stumble. It takes a Savior who sacrificed Himself for our transgressions to show us how to act.

Dearest Lord, by your example teach us to be more just to others, knowing they are loved by you and are of worth in Your eyes. Let us prayerfully humble ourselves so we can be more open to serve. Instill in us a sense of compassion and mercy so we can truly love our neighbors. Help us to truly sacrifice the world’s ways for yours. Amen.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by permission

By God’s Holy Spirit, the words of the Old Testament prophets reach across time and speak into our current experience. Often the prophetic oracles spoken by Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, or others, held layers of meaning, with both a current and distant fulfillment. These messages from God hold truth — principles for living a holy life in the 21st century.

In Ezekiel’s prophecy against the ruler of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:1-19), we discover powerful words about the attitude that lead to pride: “By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud” (Ezekiel 28:5). And also: “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17).

Pride corrupts power, great skill, wealth, beauty, and wisdom. The insidious work of pride rises from a faulty belief. When we think our knowledge, our beauty, our influence, our abilities, or our belongings come from ourselves, we believe a lie.

The Bible clearly teaches that every good thing we possess comes from God. Paul challenged the Corinthian church when they bragged that one person was better than another. “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

We fall into the trap of pride when we trust in the gift — beauty, skill, wisdom — rather than the Giver, God Almighty. Let us heed Ezekiel’s warning by humbly acknowledging that our abilities and advantages come from God.

Holy God, You are the giver of all good gifts. Everything I have and everything I am comes from you. Forgive me for thinking that I produced or earned or deserved anything I have. Keep me from pride. Amen.

Consider this — Read Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, and 1 Peter 5:5 How does God deal with proud people?

By Suzanne Benner
Used by Permission